Executive summary
The production of official energy statistics is essential for tracking clean energy
transitions and progress from policy implementation as well as overall action to
achieve related targets. Energy statistics cover a broad range of energy data
across fuels and throughout the different levels of the energy system. In this
context, we use energy statistics to refer to supply and demand data that are
needed to produce national energy balances, typically on an annual basis.
National energy balances are essential for understanding the quantities and
qualities of the energy flowing in, out and through an economy. They shed light
on how energy is produced, transformed and used in a country, and constitute a
key component of energy statistics. Energy balances are also a key tool for
tracking the broader impacts of energy use, including energy-related greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions and their resulting climate implications, as well as how it
affects energy security, energy expenditure and affordability.

Key energy data
In this context, key energy data refers to the main types of data needed for
developing an energy balance. An energy balance is a matrix of energy
products and flows brought together in energy units and provides a complete
picture of the energy landscape for a certain geographical territory and period
(e.g. a year).
Three main data categories for developing energy balances (or derive high-level
indicators) can be considered: energy supply, energy demand and economic
activity. These categories are described in more detail in the subsections below.
Details about energy products and flows can be found in existing literature, most
importantly in the International Recommendations for Energy Statistics.

Conclusion
Establishing a robust energy information system serves as a solid foundation for
producing sound energy data. Accurate energy statistics ensure that policy
makers generate accurate energy indicators – a prerequisite for designing,
implementing, and tracking energy policies. The cost of not having reliable
energy data is often higher than the cost of investing the required infrastructure
for collecting and maintaining the data. As global and national energy agendas
and needs continue to evolve, the need for accurate energy data to properly
implement and track policies becomes ever more acute.
This roadmap serves as a guide for countries and energy institutions to
strengthen their national energy information system and to raise awareness
about the importance of having robust energy data. It does so by creating a
framework that is easily applicable to the national setting, but which is also
pertinent at the regional or sectoral level, at whichever stage the country may be
in. It also provides examples of best practices from countries globally, including
real-world applications for different elements of the roadmap.

Source:https://www.iea.org/reports/designing-an-energy-statistics-roadmap